Good morning. In today’s edition:

• What Food Safety Experts Steer Clear of to Avoid E. Coli

• Weight-loss Surgery Down 25 Percent as Anti-obesity Drug Use Soars

• People Who Experience Discrimination Show Distinct Differences in Their Gut Microbiome, Including Lower Levels of Anti-inflammatory Bacteria and Altered Gene Activity. Researchers Could Predict With 91% Accuracy Which Study Participants Faced Discrimination by Only Analyzing Their Gut Microbiome

• Less Sugar in First 1,000 Days of Life Protects Against Chronic Disease. Scientists Found That Restricting Sugar Intake to Levels in Dietary Guidelines in Early Life Was Linked to a 35% Drop in Rates of Type 2 Diabetes in Middle Age and a 20% Fall in High Blood Pressure

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

What Food Safety Experts Steer Clear of to Avoid E. Coli

When you eat fresh fruits and veggies or enjoy a salad, you don’t want to worry about getting sick. However, some foods are more likely to carry E. coli bacteria, which can make you very ill.

Food safety experts are cautious about some foods. They include alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, pre-packaged salad greens, and cantaloupe. These foods are often eaten raw. When there’s no cooking involved, bacteria that might be on your food won’t get killed.

Why are these foods risky? Sprouts grow in warm, humid conditions that bacteria love. Pre-washed salad greens are handled a lot before they reach your plate, which increases the chance of contamination. Cantaloupe’s rough skin can trap bacteria, making it hard to clean properly.

Don Schaffner, a professor of food science, says, “The more a food is handled, the more chances there are for contamination.”

Experts suggest buying whole produce instead of pre-cut and washing it well under running water at home. For example, Barbara Kowalcyk, a food safety director, prefers buying whole lettuce rather than bagged lettuce.

It’s also wise to be careful with rare meats, undercooked eggs, and unpasteurized milk because these can also have E. coli.

What can you do? Always wash your fruits and veggies, cook meats well, and be careful where you eat out. Staying informed and cautious can help keep your food safe and enjoyable.

Source: nbcnews.com

WEIGHT LOSS

Weight-loss Surgery Down 25 Percent as Anti-obesity Drug Use Soars

A new study shows a big change in treating obesity. The use of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy has doubled from 2022 to 2023. More people are choosing them. At the same time, weight-loss surgeries have decreased by 25 percent.

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and universities like Harvard and Brown, looked at health data from over 17 million people. They found that only a few patients chose surgery or medications for obesity. Most patients didn’t use these treatments.

Dr. Thomas C. Tsai, a top surgeon and professor, says that although medications are getting popular, surgery is still the best long-term treatment for obesity. He stresses the need for better access to all effective treatments to ensure patients get the best care.

However, these medications can be costly and cause stomach issues. This may lead some to stop treatment and regain weight.

The study suggests that the move from surgery to medication could impact patient care long-term. Dr. Tsai is worried about the decrease in surgeries and what it means for treatment options. He thinks more research is needed to fully understand the effects of choosing medication over surgery.

This research urges for better access and understanding of obesity treatments as medical options evolve.

Source: news.harvard.edu

HEALTH

People Who Experience Discrimination Show Distinct Differences in Their Gut Microbiome, Including Lower Levels of Anti-inflammatory Bacteria and Altered Gene Activity. Researchers Could Predict With 91% Accuracy Which Study Participants Faced Discrimination by Only Analyzing Their Gut Microbiome

Recent research from UCLA Health shows that facing discrimination changes the bacteria in our guts. People who experience discrimination have more bacteria that cause inflammation. Researchers could even guess with 91% accuracy who had faced discrimination just by looking at their stool samples.

Dr. Aparna Church and Dr. Tien Dong led the study. They wanted to see how discrimination affects the brain and gut bacteria. Their research included 154 people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. They checked the participants' feelings of discrimination and their gut bacteria.

They found that those who faced more discrimination had less Prevotella. It's a good bacteria that fights inflammation. Those who felt less discrimination had more Ruminococcus, a good bacteria.

The group that faced more discrimination had different gut gene activities. They also felt more anxious and had more stomach pain.

Dr. Church mentioned that even though we can't stop discrimination, we can choose how to respond to it. She suggests being mindful or taking probiotics. They may help with our gut health. They plan to test these ideas in future studies to see if they really help improve gut health after stress.

This research shows that discrimination harms our health. It suggests ways to help our bodies cope.

Source: uclahealth.org

Less Sugar in First 1,000 Days of Life Protects Against Chronic Disease. Scientists Found That Restricting Sugar Intake to Levels in Dietary Guidelines in Early Life Was Linked to a 35% Drop in Rates of Type 2 Diabetes in Middle Age and a 20% Fall in High Blood Pressure

Scientists found that eating less sugar as a baby or toddler can greatly reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure in later life. They studied people in the UK from a time when sugar was hard to get right after World War II. The study showed that, if people ate less sugar when very young, they had a 35% lower chance of diabetes and a 20% lower chance of high blood pressure in middle age.

The research was done by Tadeja Gračner at the University of Southern California. She explained that being around less sugar when you are very young, even before you're born, can really help your health much later in life.

They used records from 60,000 people to see who had more diseases as they grew up. Those who ate less sugar early on were healthier in middle age. This shows how important a low-sugar diet is from the start.

Health experts recommend adults eat no more than 30 grams of sugar a day, which is like seven sugar cubes. For little kids, it's best to avoid sugary drinks and snacks.

The study says that teaching parents about good eating habits can help. It also says that reducing kids' access to sugary foods can help. These steps can lead to healthier lives for everyone. It’s important to start these habits early to prevent diseases later on.

Source: theguardian.com

✢ A Note From Hem Hero

The information in this health newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. The publishers are not responsible for any actions taken by the reader based on the information provided.